


Twins

by Tigergirl1223



Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: Birth, C-Section, Cesarian Section, Childbirth, F/M, Fatherhood, Hospital, Motherhood, Parenthood, San Jose, San Jose St Bonaventure, San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital, Shaire, St. Bonaventure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29614224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tigergirl1223/pseuds/Tigergirl1223
Summary: The births of Steven and Lydia Murphy.
Relationships: Audrey Lim/Neil Melendez, Claire Browne & Shaun Murphy, Claire Browne/Shaun Murphy
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	Twins

The alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. and Dr. Shaun Murphy slapped the snooze button before sitting up in bed. He glanced to his left and noticed Claire wasn’t lying beside him. He wondered where she was; they had to be at the hospital by 6 a.m. He got up out of bed and went to shower before going back to his room, though Claire still wasn’t there. His curious nature getting the best of him, he wondered down the hall to the fully furnished nursery. One side of the room had a jungle theme and the other side had a circus theme, the theming evenly split down the middle. The couple had argued for hours over what their babies’ nursery should look like; and by that, Shaun was having trouble deciding which theme he liked better, so Claire suggested to do both since there would be two babies sleeping there.

When Shaun wondered into the room, he finally found Claire sitting in the rocking chair, her hand on her abdomen. He didn’t say anything as he came further into the room, as they were both used to comfortable silence. He finally said, “We have to be at the hospital by 6:00.”

“I know,” said Claire quietly.

“Your C-section is scheduled for 7:30 and we have to be there 90 minutes before…”

“I know Shaun,” she interrupted him, “I’ll be downstairs in a minute. Would you take my bag, put it in the car, and make sure the car seats are secure?”

Shaun nodded and went to do as instructed. If it was one thing he had loved about preparing for twins, it was making sure everything was organized and ready for their arrival. He was thrilled that he had gotten to choose their birthday when Dr. Garcia had determined both babies were breech and they would need to be delivered via Cesarean. And that day was finally here: February 22, 2032.

He went back inside to get Claire and she was now in the living room, dressed in sweat clothes, patiently waiting for him, “Are you ready?” he asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said nervously.

As Shaun drove to St. Bonaventure—he still preferred if Claire drove, but Lea had taught him how to drive well enough so he could get his license and do the driving when need be—he noticed a silent car, only it wasn’t comfortable silence. He didn’t know what to say. His mind was reeling over how they would take care of two babies. They had planned for one, but Claire had had to take Clomid to boost her fertility after six months of trying. Shaun had flipped the moment he had found out it was twins, and it had taken him some time to accept that they could handle two babies—after some one on one conversations with Melendez, that was. But now, he had all of his ducks in a row as they said. But there was a part of him afraid he wouldn’t be able to handle the challenge.

Shaun and Claire arrived at the hospital and they got Claire checked in before they started prepping her for the C-section. Soon, Dr. Garcia came into the room and said, “Well today’s the big day. How are you both feeling?”

“Okay,” said Shaun.

“Good. Claire?” Dr. Garcia questioned the mother-to-be.

“Great,” Claire forced a smile. Shaun didn’t notice, but Dr. Garcia could tell Claire was nervous.

“It’s okay to be nervous as well. This is a major procedure and a big change all happening at once. The anesthesiologist will be in soon to insert the epidural for your procedure and we’ll be rolling you into the operating room after that. Okay?” the couple nodded, “Alright. Dr. Murphy, we have your scrubs, hat, and mask ready for you to change.”

Shaun nodded, patted Claire’s shoulder, and left the room. The anesthesiologist put in the epidural, and then, Dr. Garcia quietly knocked on the door, “The medication should take effect soon. There’s someone here to see you if you’re up for visitors.”

Claire nodded, though she was confused who could be visiting her right now. As she entered the room, Lim smiled softly at Claire before closing the door behind her, “Well, today you’re being initiated into the exclusive club of mothers on planet Earth. How are you feeling?” 

“Great, wonderful, absolutely thrilled,” Claire tried to feign enthusiasm.

Lim chuckled and sat down next to Claire, “More like terrified and anxious, huh?”

“I feel like we’re going through déjà vu with the moment we had before my wedding,” said Claire, “I just…I’ve known for months the exact day these babies would be born, and I thought I’d have adjusted to the idea by now. But I haven’t and I’m still just as scared as I was nine months ago.”

Lim took a deep breath, “Claire, let me tell you something. If you weren’t nervous, I’d be jealous of you.”

“But I wanted this so badly, yet, I have no idea what to do,” said Claire.

“You think I do? Or any other woman for that matter? Trust me, when I became a mom for the first time, Mei-Li’s due date just loomed on the calendar, and as it got closer and closer, there was Dr. Melendez, all ready for fatherhood, and then, there was me. Wondering if I could handle labor and the pain of giving birth. Wondering if my lungs would make it through the ordeal. Wondering if there would be a complication for me or Mei-Li or if Mei-Li would be born with a birth defect. Wondering what kind of mom I’d be. Wondering if I could handle it. Wondering if I could balance a career and motherhood. And it wasn’t just with Mei-Li. I went through the same feelings with Carlos too. I think everyone goes through these feelings on the day they give birth, whether they’re laboring for hours on end or getting prepped for a C-section. It doesn’t matter how your children come into the world, the feelings are the same. And believe me, it doesn’t end after delivery day. You’re always a first time mom. First, it’s infancy, then the toddler years, and so on and so on. Next year, I’ll be the first time mom of a teenager. I mean, how did that happen?” Lim asked jokingly and Claire chuckled, “But Shaun is ready for this. And you are too. Because I’ve had the privilege of watching you grow as surgeons, and now, I’ll get to watch you grow as parents.”

Claire smiled softly, feeling a little better, but more or less happy to know her feelings weren’t unique to just her, “Thank you, Dr. Lim-Melendez.”

Lim squeezed Claire’s hand and said, “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

The nurses wheeled Claire into the OR and Shaun was there. Claire could tell he was beaming under his mask. Dr. Garcia and Dr. Lim-Melendez set everything up before Lim asked, “Are you both ready to welcome your babies?”

Shaun and Claire looked at each other Claire said, “We’re ready.”

“Okay,” Lim said and smiled.

“Starting procedure at 7:47 a.m.,” said Dr. Garcia, making the first incision.

Shaun and Claire could hear Dr. Garcia and Lim mumbling the technical terms which they both easily recognized, as they both had assisted on a number of C-sections before—and Shaun’s first solo surgery had been a C-section—but they couldn’t help but want to hold their breaths, “I see the first baby,” said Lim, grabbing a hold of the child. She gently pulled and said, “First baby is out,” she announced and cut the umbilical cord, the sound of the baby’s cries reverberating throughout the room, “Here’s your son, born at 8:02 a.m.,” she held him up for the couple to see.

Claire couldn’t help but laugh and cry, but Shaun said, “He is very wrinkly and his cheeks are chubby. But he is cute.”

Lim passed the baby off to Dr. Garcia, who handed him to Nurse Villanueva for his APGAR evaluation. The surgeons went back to the procedure and Dr. Garcia said, “Second baby is in view.”

It was a few moments later when Shaun and Claire heard Lim curse, “Dammit. We have a double nuchal cord.”

“What?” asked Claire.

“The cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck two times,” explained Shaun.

“I know what it means,” said Claire.

Lim pulled the baby out and announced, “Baby girl, born at 8:06 a.m. Baby is struggling to breathe as a result of a double nuchal cord.”

“No,” a few tears fell down Claire’s cheeks knowing she was in no position to help her baby.

Lim unwrapped the cord and began to vigorously rub the baby’s chest, “Come on, baby girl. Breathe for me,” she continued to rub, “Breathe,” Lim whispered to herself. A few tense moments later, the baby started crying. Lim and Dr. Garcia smiled, Claire let out a long sigh of relief, and Shaun, just now realizing he was holding his breath too, did as well. Lim cut the cord and held up the baby, “And here’s your daughter.”

Another nurse took the baby to perform her APGAR and reunite her with her brother. Dr. Garcia said, “Congratulations Dr. Murphy and Dr. Browne-Murphy.”

“They’re very beautiful. It was an honor to able to be here for your big moment,” said Lim.

“I helped bring Mei-Li and Carlos into the world. It was only fitting for you to bring our kids into the world,” said Shaun proudly.

****************************************************************************************************************************************** 

After Claire was wheeled into recovery, Lim went to let everyone waiting know about the babies’ arrival. Soon, Shaun and Claire were holding their babies when Lim knocked on the door and asked, “Are you ready for visitors?”

Shaun and Claire nodded as Melendez, Mei-Li, Carlos, Park, Morgan, and Lea followed Lim into the room, “Dr. Shaun, Dr. Claire, your babies are very cute,” said Carlos.

“Thank you Carlos,” said Claire.

“Were we this small, Dad?” asked Mei-Li.

“You were pretty small, a little over six pounds, but Carlos was over eight pounds,” said Melendez.

“What are their names?” asked Park.

“Steven James Murphy Jr., after Shaun’s brother,” said Claire, gazing at Steven.

“And I’m holding Lydia Peyton Murphy,” everyone stared at Shaun for an explanation, “She’s not named after anyone; we just liked the name.”

Everyone chuckled and Claire said, “Well, I think it’s appropriate for Steven and Lydia to be held by their Godmothers first.”

Morgan and Lea stepped forward, Lea taking Lydia from Shaun, and Morgan taking Steven from Claire, “I’m going to be the fun Godmother who lets them stay up late and eat junk food for dinner,” said Lea.

“Please don’t, Lea,” said Claire.

“I’m just kidding. Mostly,” said Lea.

Morgan rolled her eyes, “Well, I’ll make sure these two learn to love science. Or sports. Or the arts. Or whatever their interests are,” said Morgan, rocking Steven in her arms.

“Well, we’re sure you both need to rest,” said Park, “We’ll leave you two alone.”

Lim and Melendez escorted their kids out of them room and Morgan and Lea handed Steven and Lydia back to their parents before following Park. Shaun sat down next to Claire as Steven stared up at him with his dark brown eyes, “Claire?” she looked over at her husband, “Remember when I was fired from St. Bonaventure and I said that I think I’d be a good father?” she nodded and Shaun continued, “Do you still think I’ll be a good father to Steven and Lydia?”

Claire took a deep breath and grimaced a little, as the anesthesia was wearing off, “I think it will be challenging. But I think we can handle anything we set our minds to do.”

Shaun nodded and said, “We can handle it. I know because I didn’t think I’d be able to learn how to love. And you proved me wrong.”


End file.
